Meghan McCain, daughter of presidential candidate John McCain, appeared at the A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe to sign her book.

Meghan McCain, daughter of presidential candidate John McCain autographed her book about her father.

Meghan McCain autographs her book for young fan Blythe Schulte, 10, of San Juan Capistrano. The daughter of presidential candidate John McCain signed her book at A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe in Irvine Tuesday.

Title page from Meghan McCain's book about her father, presidential candidate John McCain. It is illustrated by Dan Andreasen.

Excerpt from Meghan McCain's book about her father, presidential candidate John McCain. It is illustrated by Dan Andreasen.

Excerpt from Meghan McCain's book about her father, presidential candidate John McCain. It is illustrated by Dan Andreasen.

Excerpt from Meghan McCain's book about her father, presidential candidate John McCain. It is illustrated by Dan Andreasen.

Excerpt from Meghan McCain's book about her father, presidential candidate John McCain.

Alice Lee takes a photo of Meghan McCain with her children Derrick, 8, and Melody, 5. McCain, the daughter of presidential candidate John McCain, autographed books for fans Tuesday.

Meghan McCain autographs her book for a fan.

Book store owner Alexandra Uhl, left, hands Meghan McCain a book as the Preusse family from Rancho Santa Margarita wait for McCain's autograph.

KDOC-TV photojournalist Dave Dahlquist interviews Meghan McCain following a book signing Tuesday. She spoke about growing up as the daughter of presidential candidate John McCain.

The Okula family from Laguna Hills thank Meghan McCain for signing her book for them at the A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe book signing in Irvine Tuesday.

Seven-year-old Kevin Floback, Anaheim Hills, made this drawing of John McCain in the White House to give to Meghan McCain. She accepted it at the A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe book signing in Irvine Tuesday.

Meghan McCain answers a probing question during an interview following a book signing at the A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe Tuesday. She talked about growing up as the daughter of presidential candidate John McCain.

Meghan McCain collects her thoughts before replying to a serious question during a post-book signing interview.

While signing her book, Meghan McCain paused to guess a young fan's age. She guessed right. The daughter of presidential candidate John McCain was at A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe book signing in Irvine Tuesday.

IRVINE – The eyes of Barack Obama gazed up from a poster and over scores of people bundled in line on Tuesday to meet the daughter of John McCain.

Across from Democratic Headquarters, 23-year-old Meghan McCain sat behind a table at A Whale of a Tale Children’s Bookshoppe, greeted patient waiters and signed copies of her new illustrated biography, “My Dad, John McCain.”

The book, released earlier this month by publisher Simon &amp; Schuster, chronicles the rebellious youth, savage entry into adulthood via a Vietnamese prison camp and postwar political career and family life of the senator and Republican presidential nominee. The words, penned by Meghan McCain, are wrapped around watercolor paintings.

Melissa Shuffield, who’s shuffling among members of the family as John McCain’s press secretary, said Meghan McCain’s creative contributions have given her dad a real boost. In addition to the book, she maintains a behind-the-scenes, not-so-gonzo campaign blog at McCainBlogette.com.

“It really helps to personalize and humanize the family,” said Marshall Senk, a Corona del Mar resident who came to the bookstore with his 6-year-old daughter, Jilly.

The blog could also help spruce up the image of a candidate who’s been criticized for not passing the computer-literacy litmus test.

For Irine Barbashova, who’s eligible to vote for the first time this year, McCain is the clear choice, technologically competent or not.

“I’m just fed up with the socialists,” said Barbashova, who immigrated to the United States from Russia 15 years ago. “I know how it works.”

The woman’s three daughters, who came with her to the bookstore, seemed precocious. Five-year-old Olga said she learned about both the candidates from watching CNN and Bloomberg News, while 16-year-old Nadia wore a psyched smile as she talked about a journalism class at high school.

For Meghan McCain, writing the kids’ book was tough. An initial draft, she said, turned out to be a tad too “ominous” and “a little too intense” for kids and Simon &amp; Schuster, which put out illustrated bios on Obama and Hillary Clinton earlier this year.

A monkey fist that John McCain may have been served as a prisoner of war was softened to a slightly less grotesque chicken foot.

But nonetheless, said Meghan McCain, the book’s message pokes through.

“The whole concept was a story that I could be telling my grandchildren,” she said. “It shows that it’s not important where you come from” or whether you start out as a straight-A or a straight-D student.

Asked whether she thought Palin – also a surprise contender – would make good kids’ book material, McCain offered a compliment that could encompass much of the Alaskan population.

“I straight up can’t say I know what it’s like to be a moose hunter,” she said, likening Palin to ye-olde American sharpshooter Annie Oakley.

A shot across the way at Democratic Headquarters, volunteer organizer Shirley Palley said she’s seen a lot of celebrities enter and exit the bookstore. She said Tuesday’s coincidental juxtaposition between the eagle-eyed poster of Obama and the daughter of McCain, who claims to have voted for John Kerry in the 2004 election, didn’t shake things up too much.

“They get a lot of business from us because we read and our children read,” she said. “Like everyone else, publishers are suffering. (That book) is a big moneymaker.”

To see a slide show of Meghan McCain at the book signing, click on MORE PHOTOS above right.

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